The sun was as high in the polar heavens as it ever rises in that
part of the world. Captain Hubbell stood on the deck of the
Dipsey. with his quadrant in hand to take an observation. The
engines had been stopped, and nearly everybody on the vessel now
surrounded him.

"Longitude everything," said Captain James Hubbell, "latitude
ninety, which is as near as I can make it out."

"My friends," said Mr. Gibbs, looking about him, "we have found
the pole."

And at these words every head was uncovered.

For some moments no one spoke; but there was a look upon the
faces of most of the party which expressed a feeling which was
voiced by Sarah Block.

"And yet," said she, speaking in a low tone, "there's nothing to
see, after all!"

Captain Hubbell's observations and calculations, although
accurate enough for all ordinary nautical purposes, were not
sufficiently precise to satisfy the demands of the present
occasion, and Mr. Gibbs and the electricians began a series of
experiments to determine the exact position of the true pole.

The vessel was now steered this way and that, sometimes backed,
and then sent forward again. After about an hour of this zigzag